Several systems have attempted to deal with the issue of electrical fires and lithium-ion battery fires in particular. U.S. Pub. Appl. No. 2009/0014188 describes a device for containing ignited electrical equipment. The device includes a main body having an opening and volume sufficient to contain the electrical device and a flap to cover the opening to the main body when the electrical device is contained within the main body. By covering the opening with the flap, the lithium ion battery fire is contained within the device and not allowed to spread. However such a system does not deal with a thermal runaway reaction or a resulting fire, the system merely isolates these dangerous conditions from other cells in the battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,273,474 is a battery thermal management system where electrochemical cell battery systems and associated methods of operation are provided based on the incorporation of a thermal management matrix including a supply of phase change material disposed at least in part to a heat conductive lattice member to effectively dissipate heat produced or generated by or in the battery system. However such a system is only meant to cool a battery cell and if fire still occurs there is no method to suppress it.
U.S. Pub. Appl. No. 2010/0078182 is a device for generating and storing electrical or mechanical energy, and method for fire avoidance where an encapsulation in which at least one element of the device serving to generate or store electrical or mechanical energy is positioned, and having a container for flame-retardant substance. The substance store in the container releases a flame-retardant component if need be. However this system does not isolate each cell from another to prevent damage to other cells. Furthermore, this system has no method for activating in the presence of open flame.